Attorney Richard Stim specializes in small business, copyright, patents, and trademark issues at Nolo. He is the author of many books, including Music Law: How to Run Your Band's Business Patent, Copyright & Trademark: An Intellectual Property Desk Reference, and Profit From Your Idea. Stim regularly answers readers' intellectual property questions at Dear Rich: Nolo's Patent, Copyright & Trademark Blog.
Articles By Richard Stim
The 'Fair Use' Rule: When Use of Copyrighted Material Is Acceptable
Fair use is a defense to a claim of copyright infringement based on the idea that the public is entitled to freely use portions of copyrighted materials for certain purposes, like commentary and criticism. When is fair use applied?
What's New in Copyright Law, 2018 to 2021
Major federal court decisions concerning copyright law over the last few years.
What's New in Patent Law, 2018 to 2021
Check out these important court decisions and other developments in U.S. patent law over the last few years.
Fair Use: What Is Transformative?
Transformative uses of a copyrighted work are generally considered to be "fair use" rather than infringement.
Can I Appeal a Final Office Action From the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office?
A “final” office action does not mean that U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's decision is final. Rather, it means that the examiner is cutting off the applicant’s right to change the claims in the application.
Patent Searching Online
You have a great idea and want to make money from it. Getting a patent can help you do that. The first step in getting a patent for your invention (or determining if you even qualify for one) is finding out if someone else already has a patent for your idea. If your invention is already patented, then you are out of luck. The quickest and easiest way to find out is to do an online patent search.
Filing a Federal Trademark Application FAQ
Applying for a federal trademark has many complications. What are some of the basics of the process?
How a Guild, Union, or Other Organization Can Trademark Its Name
Trademark owners have exclusive use of a name or logo in commerce.
Can You Protect A Recipe Under U.S. Law?
Food recipes require creativity. But you might be surprised at how little protection they receive under American intellectual property law.
How to Name a Business
There's a lot of room for personal and professional creativity when choosing a business name, but there are three main considerations to keep in mind: Will your business name receive trademark protection?Is your proposed business name available?If your business will have a website, is a similar domain name available?